Pre-set copy counting device

ABSTRACT

The present invention is directed to a simple and efficient device for pre-setting a machine to automatically dispense any selected number of copies of material from 1 to 100; or to function in a &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;continuous&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; mode if over 100 copies are desired. A series of switches are pulsed in accordance with the number of copies to be made such that as each copy is made the selector dial reduces by one until zero is reached. Utility of the present invention has been found as part of an overall assembly in photocopying machines.

- Unite Sames 1 Sept. 11, 1973 [54] PRE-SET COPY COUNTKNG DEVICE 1,183,529 5/1916 Brasseur 1, 235/132 R 1 [75] Inventor: Delbert W. Sames, Conklin, N.Y. l640563 8/ 927 Burd'ck 235/132 R [73] Assignee: GAF Corporation, New York, NY. P i E in r-Thomas A, Robinson Assistant ExaminerJose h M. Thesz Jr. 22 F l d: l 16 1971 v r a H W" .B .o, l 1 m y Attorney-Walter C. Kehm, Martin Smolow1tz et a1. [21] Appl. No.: 163,350

9 [57] ABSTRACT [52] 22225? Z ;g ?E The present invention is directed to a simple and effi- I l h Cl k 3/02 cient device for pre-setting a machine to automatically I dispense y Selected number of copies of material [58] Field fig 25 from 1 to 100; or to function in a continuous mode if over 100 copies are desired. A series of switches are pulsed in accordance with the number of copies to be [56] References C'ted made such that as each copy is made the selector dial UNITED STATES PATENTS reduces by one until zero is reached. Utility of the pres- 3,600,085 8/1971 Altergott .1 355/14 ent invention has been found as part of an v rall .223% 3232? sembly in photocopying machines. I

934:053 9/1909 Ebeling 235/132 R 7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PAlimwsmum 3758.755

"sum 1 OF 2 INVENTOR.

PEI-BERT nl. {4,455

74M Swag ATTORNEY I PAIENIED HWH I r 3,758,755

suanaurz INVENTOR.

A 'ITORNE Y I PRE-SET COPY COUNTING DEVICE The present invention relates to an arrangement for high speed handling and counting of sheets of paper; in particular but not exclusively, it relates to machines for handling and counting precut photosensitive paper in such a way that an accurate predetermined number of sheets can be copied from an original as the sensitized sheet is fed from a web.

Presently available copying machines, including assemblies for counting sheets to. produce a pre-selected number have the disadvantage in that they do not oper ate at high rates, are quite complex and are costly.

There are machines, for example, which utilize pneumatic means for feeding sheets and are constructed in such a way that it is necessary to break the suction before a sheet can be fed entirely into the machine, with the result that the overall speed of operation in the apparatus, in this case the photocopying apparatus, is greatly reduced. Still other approaches use sensing means and these arrangements limit the speed at which the sheets leave the machine since additional time is required to handle and sense the passing of the sheet through the counting apparatus.

Another problem which has existed in the use of photocopy machine sheet counters relates to the design and complexity of sheet counters. It is well recognized that most prior art counters, especially those used to sequentially count such material as sheets of paper, have had a maximum count capacity of 25. For an example, a typical prior art unit which exceeded the 25 count required the use of two half-counters, one for the units digits and one for the IOs. In order to operate such a unit, it was necessary for the operator to depress a dial, turn it to get one number and then depress a second dial to arrive at the other digit or digits. With only one electrical function available in such a unit, its design was complicated, with one switch for on-off, a second and a third switch for the count setting, etc. Such a unit would only go to a 99 count because it was two digit oriented and in order togo to a l 'count, it

function with biased switch plates to control the counting operation back to a zero point.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a device for use with a photocopy apparatus including a counter drum operating in synchronism with switch means and an energizing circuit to govern such switch means in its counting function.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of the invention, particularly in the appended claims, and taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the assembly in perspective;

FIG. 2 is a schematic circuit diagram in the on position;

FIG. 3 is a schematic circuit diagram in which the copy number dial is on any number other than ll;

FIG. 4 is a schematic circuit diagram in which the copy number dial is in the continuous position.

The attainment of the above objects is made possible by the present invention according to which a presettable photo-paper copy counting device is provided which includes a frame, a transverse shaft mounted on said frame, a gear wheel rotatable on said shaft, a spur gearcarried by said frame on missing relationship with said gear wheel, a step-by-step ratchet mechanism including an electromagnetic coil mounted on said frame for turning said spur gear and in turn, said wheel gear,

would be necessary to incorporate a third wheel, thus making the unit expensive and complicated. Another disadvantage of the device just mentioned is the need to have an operator on hand to repeatedly depress a plurality of dials.

A main object of this invention is to provide means not subject to one or more of the disadvantages attributable to the prior art.

Another principal object of the present invention is to provide a device for pre-selecting and thereafter counting the designated number of sheets to be worked u on.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device suitable for use in an electrostatic photocopying machine capable of controlling, by electrical circuit means, the number of copies of an original to be reproduced.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a simple and trouble-free, copy counting assembly which can by associated circuitry, provide copies of an original for a designated number count or in a continuous mode unless manually overridden.

A further object of the present invention includes means for adjusting the length and number of copies to be made from anoriginal including a copy-count selector drum having indicator means thereon adapted to each time said coil is energized by a copy being counted; a manual copy count selector drum having a copy count indicator dial rotatable on said shaft in step synchronism with said gear wheel and enclosing said spur gear, said drum comprising means for electrically insulating a person setting it from the rest of the device, a switch mounted on said frame having Contact spring plates operative with and brazed together to actuate the switch and stop the photocopy paper feed when the selected copy count is reached; a cam mounted on the inside of said drum for biasing said switch plates together, when the drum is finally turned back in counting to a pre-selectedzero point corresponding to the desired number of copies, and a pointer mounted on said frame at such zero point adjacent the drum copy in indicia, whereby, upon manually adjusting the drum forwardly to the selected number of copies desired adjacent said zero pointer, operation of the ratchet mechanism turns the drum back, step-by-step, with eaeh copy delivered until the pre-selected number of copies is reached, and the cam biases the switch plate contacts together accurately to stop the copy paper feed.

Still a further embodiment includes a switch mounted on said frame behind the other switch including a spring blade contact which is operative when actuated to open the energizing circuit of the coil and a cam on the drum and so biasing the last named contacts together to actuate the corresponding switch when the drum is turned to a position back of the zero setting thereof, whereby upon presetting the drum, they are subsequently delivered free of the mounted mechanism by virtue of the energizing circuit of the coil being open by the action of the non-counting continuous copy feed switch. By way of further explanation, in the present invention by a simple flip of the wheel itis possible to obtain a count of from I to I00 or to place the counter in the continuous mode, and it is most appropriately employed in an electrostatic wet copying machine (not shown). During operation, the operator is provided with a visible panel signal and is able to energize circuitry to activate the counting device. The operator first selects the copy length desired, in accordance with the original, for an example, short or long. An adjustable light baffie is provided for preventing copy preexposure during multiple copy operation when a short copy length is desired. More specifically, copy paper is transported to an exposure platen where the leading and trailing edges of the paper actuates a switch for initiating the functional sequence to operate the system. The paper is conveyed along exposed and thereafter treated by a toning solution and eventually processed as a finished document.

With the present counter, it is only necessary to move the counter dial to position 1, which is referred to as the zero position. The number 1 is really zero, or home base and the space on the dial in between 1 and 2 is un derstood by the electrical system of the machine to be number 1, thus the operator can rotate the dial to that blank space and still obtain one copy. The invention is arranged to include internal switches so that an operator who may desire only one copy may have it if the dial is at number 1 (home base) or on the blank space between 1 and 2. If two or more copies are required, it is only necessary to rotate the dial to the designated position. The copy machine has to run and produce the designated number of copies and with every copy the dial counter turns down one notch and it keeps on coming closer and closer to the home base position. As soon as the dial arrives at home base, there are switching devices in the counter or on the machine to perform operations in the machine, i.e., shut the machine power off, shut certain paper feeding devices down, etc.

The essential features in the present invention are achieved by employing snap-acting switches and a dial mechanism molded to have an actuator on it. As the dial rotates, the switches are idle until such dial urges the actuator to contact the switch arms causing the switch mechanism to snap into the actuated position. At that moment, the contacts close and the machine is disabled to disallow further passage of paper for copies.

The present device when employed with a flat-bed photo-copying apparatus, generally functions as follows:

As soon as the machine is turned on, the motor is energized and starts the machine in operation and it starts moving. The original to be copied is placed on top of the machine and the operator turns the counter dial to selected the number of copies desired. After the print button is energized, all of the vital functions start in automatic operation. The first indication of movement occurs when the web of paper starts feeding as the clutch is energized, thus permitting paper to be fed until the leading edge contacts a switch in the machine. The paper, at this point, is still part of the web of paper (unsevered); however, as soon as it touches the paper control switch (not a part of the invention), such paper ceases to be fed and is thereafter severed from the web. At the instant such paper is severed, another-electrical signal supplied to a coil associated with a stepper switch urges the counter mechanism to move onestep and permits the dial to move one step and thus decreases the count by one.

If, for example, the operator sets the counter to 10, for copies, the counter moves down to'9 after the first piece of paper has been severed from the web. At this time, the operator, by looking at the dial, is able to determine how many counts are left or how many pieces of paper are to be treated from the original. This arrangement allows the operator to leave the working area and return at a later time to see the number still to be copied. The fact that the inventive device is so designed as to continually provide the decending order of sheets still to be copied or treated by the machine, has been found to be a great convenience to the operator, especially where a large number of copies are to be reproduced and more than one machine is operated simultaneously. Every time the counter moves one notch, another piece of paper has been severed from the web, and eventually when the counter reaches the home position, the last sheet has been severed. Once this occurs, the energizing coil will never receive another signal. After the last pulse, and with the dial at home base, paper stops flowing in the machine. Two switches (that are disposed in side by side relationship on the counting device) are actuated to stop the processing of paper.

In the event the dial is placed in the continuous mode, the C position, a third switch disposed on the opposite side of the above mentioned switches, is activated and cuts the coil of the counter out of the circuit so that the counter coil never receives a pulse. The dial counter is left in this position until the supply of paper or toner, etc., may become depleted; otherwise the machine will keep on reproducing on a continuous duty basis'unless over-ridden by the operator, by rotating the dial to some number to allow automatic countdown or to 1" or home base for stopping.

In continuous mode the operator does not precisely know how many copies have been made or are to be made. Thus use is made of an external counter (not part of the invention) to keep count in the continuous mode. the dial A control panel on the copying machine comprises an array of push-button switches including a thumb wheel dial for allowing the operator to select any number of copies to be reproduced from 1 to or to have continuous operation, and an internal counter or measuring device reading off the number of copies produced is located inside the cabinet of the copying machine.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the inventive device shown in FIG. I basically includes an electrical coil, a ratchet, a shaft and associated circuitry. The device, 1, controls the angular movement of the dial by means of a ratchet and a pawl arrangement in conjunction with electrical coil and a detent pin for controlling thedial movement such that it is mechanically held in position and there is a shaft (not shown in FIG. 1) which positions the ratchet, 5. A shaft inside of the ratchet 5 protrudes through the device 1 of FIG. 1 and into the middle of a spur gear 6. In conjunction with the ratchet, the gear is under control so that it rotates a given number of degrees per pulse of the electrical coil 2.

The coil 2 in turn is connected in the machine to receive the pulse every time a piece of paper is severed from the web. Referring to the associated electrical circuitry, an electrical signal, received from a different portion of the machine is imparted to the coil 2, at the instant a sheet of paper is severed. The pulse imparted to coil 2 causes the armature plate 3 to be attractedit attracts 3 to 2. Then the pawl 4 engages the teeth of the ratchet S for every impulse or every attraction of 3 to 2 thus urging 5 to move one step or one tooth each time there is a pulse imparted to 2, in turn this permits gear 6 to rotate in the same relationship as ratchet 5.

Bracket 7 attached to the device number 1 by mechanical means and a shaft 16 attached to bracket 7 retains the counting dial 8 in a manner to allow it to freely spin. Thus the operator is able to select any number of copies to be run (from I to lOO). As the dial 8 spins freely on shaft 16, a gear 9 molded to it is meshed with gear 6, in a manner so that when gear 6 is rotated a certain number of degrees for every electrical impulse to coil 2, the rotation of gear 9 is so governed that it moves a certain number of degrees for each impulse of coil 2 and a line on the dial which indicates one copy made is indexed accordingly. A small wedge-shaped member 10, is located on the other side of dial 8; it is the switch actuator, and is also part of the molded dial. As the actuator rotates with the dial 8, the switch leaves of switches 13 and 14 which are mounted on bracket 15, are brought into contact with the wedgeshaped portion 10 of the dial 8. When this occurs, the switches 13 and 14 are actuated at that point and by thattime number 1 on the face of the dial 8 is now in home base position. These switches 13 and 14 act ina manner to stop any more ,flow of paper in the machine so that no additional copies are made.

In actual operation, a power pulse is applied to coil 2 when the dial 8 is set from any number from 1. to 100 and only at the time a sheet has been severed from the web. The dial setting of from 1 to .100 represents the number of copies that are to be made by the machine.

Once the setting is made, armature plate 3 is magnetically attracted to the core of coil 2.-At that instant, pawl 4 engages ratchet 5 rotating it one notch for each voltage pulse applied to the coil 2. Secured to the same shaft as ratchet 5, gear 6 rotates in concert with the ratchet. In the assembly, gear 6 meshes with gear 9 causing dial 8 to rotate one numerical designation (equal to the designationof the number of copies to be reproduced) as printed on the circumference of the indicator wheel. When the dial has rotated back to number l, or its start position, switches 13 and 14 are actuated by an actuator 10 thereby preventing any additional copies from being processed and disengaging any electrical input into the coil 2. When the dial 8 is manually rotated to the continuous position, switch 11 is actuated by an actuator 10 allowing copies to be processed as long as paper and other supplies are available in the machine and disengaging any electrical input to the coil 2 thereby preventing dial 8 from rotating. When the dial 8 is at position 1, single copies can be processed without rotating the dial manually.

FIG. 2 is a schematic circuit diagram showing the elements of the circuitry when the dial 8 of FIG. I is in the position (I) and the print button (l), is momentarily pressed to initiate the various machine movements.

At the instant that the print switch 1 is manually depressed. a relay coil 2 is electrically latched through its own normally closed contacts 3 and double throw switch 4. Then the clutch 6 is energized through single pole switch 5 and said switch 5 opens and disengages the clutch 6. Paper is severed from an outside knife assembly in accordance with the size of the original. Thereafter, switch station 4 is actuated by the paper breaking the electrical latch to relay coil 2 causing contacts 3 to open, thereby taking away all power from this circuit and thus preventing any additional copies from being made.

FIG. 3 shows a circuit diagram of the elements as they are functioning in which the copy number dial 8 of FIG. 1 is on any number other than 1 and the print button has been depressed momentarily for initiating the motion of the machine.

Once the print button 7 is depressed, the coil relay 8 is electrically latched through its contacts 9 and single pole double throw switch 10 and switch 11. The clutch 12 is energized through switch 13. Switch 13 opens and disengages the clutch 112. Paper is severed from an outside source such as a knife module and coil 14 (2 of FIG. 1) is likewise simultaneously pulsed from an outside source. The switch 10 is acutated by the paper providing power to the clutch 12 again and feeding in the next sheet of paper. The aforementioned is repeated until the dial has rotated to the starting position at which time it activates switches 11 and l5 (l3 and 14 of FIG. 1). Switch 10 is then actuated by means of the paper, thereby breaking the, electrical latch to 8, causing contacts9 to open, thereby taking away all power to the circuit preventing any more copies from being processed.

FIG. 4 illustrates the circuitry that is employed and the associated steps in which the copy number dial is onthe. continuous position .and this position will direct the electrical circuitry to print continuously until overriddenby manual means or until supplies have been depleted.

vThe print switch 16 is depressed momentarily to initiate the circuitry. A relay coil 17 is electrically latched through its own contacts 18 and switch 19 and switch 20. The clutch 22 is-energized through switch 21 and it opens, disengaging the clutch and permitting paper to be severed by knife assembly such as mentioned above. The counters23 (not part of this invention) is pulsed through the switch 24 and from an outside source not directly part of this invention. The switch 19 is acutated by the paper providing power to the clutch 22 again feeding in thenext sheet of paper.

The above steps are repeated until the paper supply has the exhausted or the copy dial has been manually overridden by the operator.

In FIG. 1 for continuous mode, a wedge 10 will be rotated to allow it to contact the actuator leaf of switch 11 which is attached to bracket 12 that in turn is fastened to bracket 7 similar to the switches 13 and 14 on bracket 15. Thus, the three switches 11, 13 and M in cooperation with the actuator it) perform all the essential functions at different times.

in FIG. 1 in effect, the switches are actuatedin a different manner respectively, depending on the mode of copying. When in position number l, or home base position, only single copies are reproduced, switches 13 and M are only actuated at this moment, by their respective actuators. As soon as the dial 8 is moved from the home position, the switcheslll and M become deactuated and these switches being deactuated permit the machine to function and keep on reproducing copies until the counter rotates around to strike the leaves of switches 13 and 14 to actuate them again. While this is going on, switch 11 is in a deactuated position unless the dial is manually rotated to the "C" or continuous portion whereby switches 13 and M are now deactuated and switch 11 is actuated in the continuous mode.

mentarily, closing contacts 3 at the same time, causing an electrical inner look (after the print button has been released) and serves to keep relay 2 in an actuated position allowing the paper to be fed only as long as contacts 3 are in the closed position and the only way they can be closed is by depressing the print switch momentarily. Switch 5 is a switch that is operated by contact with the paper and will break the signal to the clutch to stop the flow of paper before severing. The next position that is contacted by thepaper is switch 4 which now breaks the electrical inner lock to relay coil 2, allowing contacts 3 to. open and thereafter prevent any more paper to be fed,'because the paper feed clutch no longer has a potential (contacts 3 are open).

Furthermore, (in FIG. 2) since switch 25 is open, zero voltage reaches coil 26 (which is part of the invention), the sensing coil, or the coil that causes the rotation of the diaLSince contacts 2 are open, nothing can happen. Everything is wide open and the whole circuit is completely deenergized which explains why, when the dial is on position 1, only one copy is reproduced.

I The. operator would have todepress the print switch again for any subsequent copies. Even copy will be reproduced. j I

This invention has been disclosed with respect to certain preferred embodiments, and it will be understood that modifications and variations thereof will become obvious to persons skilled in'the'art and are intended to be included within thespirit and purview of this application and the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is: p

1. A pre-setable sequential electro-mechanical counting device for sensing and indicating the count on sheet material, which sheet material may be conveyed through a photocopying machine and severed from a web. of such sheet material, comprising, in combination,

a frame;

a transverse shaft mounted on said frame;

a geared wheel rotatable on said shaft;

, gear means carried by said frame;

a step-by-step ratchet mechanism including an electromagnetic coil assembly mounted on said frame .for turning said gear means and, in turn, said geared wheel each time-said coil is energized by a copy being counted; a manual copy-count selector drum having a copy count indicator dial rotatable on said shaft 'enclos ing said gear means, said drum having means electrically insulating a person setting it from the rest of the device I switch-means mounted on said frame having contact spring blades operative when biased together to actuate said switch means and stop the photocopy paper feed when the selected copy count is reached; 1 a

a cam mounted on the inside of said drum for biasing said switch blades; and

a pointermounted on said frame at such zero point then, only one adjacent the drum copy indicia;

whereby, upon manually adjusting the drum forwardly to the selected number of copies desired adjacent said zero pointer, operation of the ratchet mechanism turns the drum back step-by-step with each copy delivered until the preselected number of copies is reached, whereupon said cam biases said switch blade contacts together, actuating said switch means and stopping the copy paper feed; switch means mounted on said frame behind said other switch means, having spring blade contacts operative to open an energizing circuit of said coil;

' and cam means on said drum for biasing said last named contacts together to actuate the corresponding switch means when said drum is turned to a position back of the zero setting thereof;

whereby upon presetting the drum, paper sheets are subsequently delivered free of the counting mechanism.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, including:

.a spur gear carried by said frame in missing relation with said geared wheel; and

an indicator dial rotatable on said shaft in step synchronism with said gear wheel.

3. The device claimed in claim 1, including:

a cam mounted on the inside of said drum for biasing said switch blades when the drum finally turns back in counting to a pre-selected zero point corresponding to the desired. number of copies. I a

4. The device as defined in claim '1, which includes:

switch. means mounted on said-frame behind said other switch means, having spring blade contacts operative to open an energizing circuit of said coil;

and

cam means on said drum for biasing said last named contacts together to actuate the corresponding switch means when said drum is turned to a position back of the zerosetting thereof;

whereby upon presetting the drum paper sheets are subsequently delivered free of the counting mechanism. a

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, having an energizing circuit associated with said coil adapted to deliver paper sheets free of said counting mechanism by actuation of a non-counting continuous copy feed switch means.

6. The device as defined in claim 1, in which said drum is advanced a step to indicate each copy corresponding to individual coil pulses, each step being synchronized with the corresponding copy indicia of said drum, to positively drive said drum by such coil energization.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, including in combination;

a manual copy-count selector drum having a copy count indicator dial rotatable on a shaft in synchronism with said gear means;

snap-acting switch means;

' actuator means molded on said dial;

switch arm means adapted to be contacted by said actuator means urging said switch means to snap into the actuated position and thereby halt paper flow.

* i i l 

1. A pre-setable sequential electro-mechanical counting device for sensing and indicating the count on sheet material, which sheet material may be conveyed through a photocopying machine and severed from a web of such sheet material, comprising, in combination, a frame; a transverse shaft mounted on said frame; a geared wheel rotatable on said shaft; gear means carried by said frame; a step-by-step ratchet mechanism including an electromagnetic coil assembly mounted on said frame for turning said gear means and, in turn, said geared wheel each time said coil is energized by a copy being counted; a manual copy-count selector drum having a copy count indicator dial rotatable on said shaft enclosing said gear means, said drum having means electrically insulating a person setting it from the rest of the device switch means mounted on said frame having contact spring blades operative when biased together to actuate said switch means and stop the photocopy paper feed when the selected copy count is reached; a cam mounted on the inside of said drum for biasing said switch blades; and a pointer mounted on said frame at such zero point adjacent the drum copy indicia; whereby, upon manually adjusting the drum forwardly to the selected number of copies desired adjacent said zero pointer, operation of the ratchet mechanism turns the drum back step-bystep with each copy delivered until the preselected number of copies is reached, whereupon said cam biases said switch blade contacts together, actuating said switch means and stopping the copy paper feed; switch means mounted on said frame behind said other switch means, having spring blade contacts operative to open an energizing circuit of said coil; and cam means on said drum for biasing said last named contacts together to actuate the corresponding switch means when said drum is turned to a position back of the zero setting thereof; whereby upon presetting the drum, paper sheets are subsequently delivered free of the counting mechanism.
 2. The device as claimed in claim 1, including: a spur gear carried by said frame in missing relation with said geared wheel; and an indicator dial rotatable on said shaft in step synchronism with said gear wheel.
 3. The device as claimed in claim 1, including: a cam mounted on the inside of said drum for biasing said switch blades when the drum finally turns back in counting to a pre-selected zero point corresponding to the desired number of copies.
 4. The device as defined in claim 1, which includes: switch means mounted on said frame behind said other switch means, having spring blade contacts operative to open an energizing circuit of said coil; and cam means on said drum for biasing said last named contacts together to actuate the corresponding switch means when said drum is turned to a position back of the zero setting thereof; whereby upon presetting the drum paper sheets are subsequently delivered free of the counting mechanism.
 5. The device as claimed in claim 1, having an energizing circuit associated with said coil adapted to deliver paper sheets free of said counting mechanism by actuation of a non-counting continuous copy feed switch means.
 6. The device as defined in claim 1, in which said drum is advanced a step to indicate each copy corresponding to individual coil pulses, each step being synchronized with the corresponding copy indicia of said drum, to positively drive said drum by such coil energization.
 7. The device as claimed in claim 1, including in combination; a manual copy-count selector drum having a copy count indicator dial rotatable on a shaft in synchronism with said gear means; snap-acting switch means; actuator means molded on said dial; swiTch arm means adapted to be contacted by said actuator means urging said switch means to snap into the actuated position and thereby halt paper flow. 